Make Up For Ever Aqua Liners

Make Up For Ever Aqua Liner ($23.00 for 0.058 oz.) is a new liquid liner that launched recently at Sephora. It claims to be “weather, tear, and sweat-proof color” and “100% waterproof.” There are fifteen shades in total (there is no #2 shade), all of which have been photographed and swatched in this post.

#1 is a semi-sheer yellowed gold base with gold shimmer.

#3 is a darkened forest green with olive and green shimmer.

#4 is a medium-dark blue-teal with silver and teal shimmer.

#5 is a bright blue with soft silvery-white shimmer.

#6 is a blackened, cool-toned blue-purple with silver and blue shimmer.

#7 is a blackened violet purple with blue-violet and purple shimmer.

#8 is a medium-dark red-based purple with violet and fuchsia shimmer.

#9 is a bright, neon pink with a soft sheen.

#10 is a neutreal red with soft ruby red shimmer.

#11 is a burgundy wine with fuchsia and pink shimmer.

#12 is a lightened black with a touch of brown.

#13 is a deep, dark black.

#14 is a black-brown with multi-colored shimmer.

#15 is a silvered black with multi-colored shimmer.

#16 is a colorless base with white shimmer.

It’s clear that there’s a new liquid liner formula on the block, and a lot of brands have taken advantage of it: MAC Superslick ($17.50/0.06 oz.), Illamasqua Precision Ink ($27.50/0.06 oz., only available in Abyss and Glister), Laura Mercier Liquid Eyeliner ($26, only available in Gold Thread), Stila Sparkle Liquid Liner ($22.00/0.05 oz.), and Bobbi Brown Glitter Liquid Liner ($20.00/0.05 oz., only available in Silver and Gold during the holiday). I couldn’t tell the difference between the majority of these when it came to the formula (Laura Mercier’s I haven’t tried; Stila’s is chalked full of shimmer/glitter, so they feel a little different).

Make Up For Ever definitely changed up the formula and tweaked the packaging, which is something I didn’t see in the other brands. The brush is actually more tapered and shorter, though still made out of foam. The shorter length actually enables you to have a little more precision and makes it easy to never have too much product on the brush (this makes these edge out just oh-so-slightly ahead, but the longer applicator is still easy to work with). I also felt like the formula was thinner, almost watery, but it wasn’t watered down, because each liner was intensely pigmented. You also have to shake up these Aqua Liners (you’ll hear something rattling inside when you do) — and this isn’t something common to the other brands.

Aqua Liners are budgeproof, smudgeproof, and waterproof. These don’t budge until you’re ready to remove them, and they removed easily with an eye makeup remover like Lancome Bi-Facil or Make Up For Ever’s Sens’Eyes. MAC’s Makeup Removing Wipes also did a fine job of removing these from my arm. The product will flake off more than it will dissolve, but I didn’t experience any flaking while wearing–only when I went to remove it; the best way to describe it is to analogize it to tube mascara.

Though Aqua Liners have a different applicator and the formula is definitely tweaked (at least, in consistency/feel), but in wear, I’ve found that all of the variations on this new type of liquid eyeliner wear extremely well. Make Up For Ever has the largest range at 15. The two shades that overlap across nearly every brand is gold (for MUFE, it’s #1), though Make Up For Ever’s #1 seems a little darker, less metallic gold, more sun-gold, and plain ol’ black (for MUFE, it’s #15).

P.S. — I’m still waiting for a few Stila Sparkle Liquid Liners, and then I’ll post some comparisons for any shades that do compare.

The Glossover

The color range is amazing--it's exactly what I'd expect from Make Up For Ever and totally useful for liquid liner fanatics. There are fun, brightly colored shades, but also some interesting takes on black. And then it's delivered in a formula that holds on all day, through showers and workouts!

Where to Buy

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